Westchester Baseball Fans Welcome Mets' Opening Day

Masters School students George Corrigan of Hastings-on-Hudson, Michael Fitzgerald of Dobbs Ferry and Nick Vern of Mamaroneck watched Mets opening day at Doubleday's restaurant Monday, March 31.
Photo Credit: Danny LoPrioreYonkers resident Lionel Nanton shot this view at New York Mets' Opening Day Monday, March 31.Photo Credit: Lionel NantonDave Kenney of Dobbs Ferry watched New York Mets opening day at Doubleday's in Dobbs Ferry.Photo Credit: Danny LoPriore

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WESTCHESTER COUNTY, N.Y. -- Westchester's fans were ready for any hint of spring Monday as many watched as Major League Baseball cut through the early morning snow and windy conditions to open its season in Queens in a game between the New York Mets and visiting Washington Nationals.

For Mets fans the day ended badly in a 9-7 loss as relief pitcher Bobby Parnell blew a 5-4 lead in the ninth inning.

"I'm not a Mets fan, I like the Yankees," said Dobbs Ferry resident Dave Kenney. "But I like watching (Nats pitcher Steve) Strasburg pitch. The season starts when the Yankees start playing. I go back to (1976) when we slept outside Yankee Stadium to get tickets to the playoff games."

Masters School students George Corrigan of Hastings-on-Hudson, Michael Fitzgerald of Dobbs Ferry and Nick Vern of Mamaroneck devoured lunch while watching the opener.

"We all play baseball at Masters," Corrigan said. "Opening day means we'll be playing too. Baseball is my favorite sport. It's every day, and you can always see a game."

Vern said he hoped the Mets would be better than they have been in recent years.

"We'll see if they get better," Vern said. "They picked up some players in the offseason. They say they want to win 90 games, but I don't know."

Fitzgerald wasn't as interested in the Mets as his classmates.

"I'm an Oakland Athletics fan, from California," Fitzgerald said. "They always manage to have an exciting team. But baseball season is always a good time."

While sports bars and living rooms hosted opening-day fans, Yonkers resident Lionel Nanton braved the elements to attend opening day and its festivities.

"Only the Mets would have Cirque du Solei and opening day at the same time," Nanton said via Facebook from Citi Field as he watched his Mets play.